Rosie O'Donnell has reignited her public feud with President Donald Trump, expressing doubts about his longevity and mental acuity in a recent interview. During an appearance on CNN's "The Lead with Jake Tapper" on Friday, O'Donnell stated she does not believe Trump "will survive that long," referencing unsubstantiated claims about his health.
O'Donnell's remarks came in response to a question about her previous assertion that she would leave the country until 2028. She suggested that Trump's "demise is visible" and apparent to those who are not "willfully blind." The comedian pointed to an incident at a recent NATO summit where Trump appeared to misidentify Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as "Putin." She likened his mistakes to those that might be expected from an elderly relative, adding that such errors could be "dangerous."
Tapper, the CNN host, amplified O'Donnell's comments by recalling a separate instance where Trump seemingly referred to Iran as the "Islamic Republic of Japan." O'Donnell agreed, stating, "There are so many obvious understandings of his dementia and how it’s taking over."
The long-standing animosity between O'Donnell and Trump has been well-documented. In July 2025, Trump publicly considered revoking O'Donnell's citizenship, calling her a "Threat to Humanity" and suggesting she remain in Ireland, where she had moved with her son in January 2025 following his re-election. He later reiterated his stance in September 2025, asserting she was "not a Great American."
Earlier in the summer, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel had humorously invited O'Donnell to guest host his show during his vacation, framing it as a way to continue "the hits coming" for Trump, to whom he referred as one of O'Donnell's "all-time favorites." O'Donnell was scheduled to host for a week starting August 17.